Ukraine Claims 427,000 to 430,790 Russian Casualties; Zelenskyy Reports 43,000 Ukrainian Dead and 370,000 Wounded

Ukraine’s defense minister Oleksandr Syrskyi estimates that up to 427,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in Ukraine in 2024, compared to the roughly 36,000 casualties reported for 2022 and 2023 combined. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy states that Ukraine has lost 43,000 soldiers and that 370,000 have been injured. Russia has not commented on these Ukrainian figures.

Russian advances in Donetsk have been limited, gaining just 4168 square kilometers, or 0.69% of Ukrainian territory, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). This slow progress contrasts with the significant Russian casualty figures reported by Ukraine.

Britain’s Defense Intelligence estimated in November that Russia had suffered 70,000 casualties between February 2022 and early 2023. Additionally, Russia’s independent news site Mediazona identified over 74,000 killed Russian soldiers by October, with estimates placing the actual number between 113,000 and 160,000.

Zelenskyyattributes the high Russian casualty figures to their tactic of sending waves of "cannon fodder" – low-quality soldiers – into battle. He highlights the quality of Ukrainian forces’ defensive fighting and their ability to adapt and learn as key factors in the conflict.

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